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News Bytes
News in General
Red Hat Releases Enterprise Linux 5.0
The new RHEL 5.0 release introduces Xen for virtualization, IPv6 support, improved SELinux management tools, and a number of new services. Red Hat also includes a preview of a new encrypted file system, co-developed with IBM.
The new version of RHEL changes the user's license choices. No more conundrum between desktop, workstation, and server. There are now 2 base classes: "Client" and "Server", each having license variations with different degrees of virtual hosting. There are 2 versions of server, where the base server licence can only support up to 4 OS virtual guests, and the advanced server license has no limitation on virtual guests. Red Hat has also developed technology to deliver software and updates to customers, even in virtualized environments. Red Hat Network Satellite provides capabilities to manage virtualized systems, including the ability to detect and create Enterprise Linux-based guests and bring them into a managed environment. RHEL subscribers now have the ability to manage dozens or thousands of virtual systems as a single system.
Here is Red Hat's technical review of its new Enterprise Linux 5: http://www.press.redhat.com/2007/03/14/red-hat-enterprise-linux-5-technical-attributes/ .
Red Hat, Exadel Open Source Commercial Products under JBoss.org
At EclipseCon 2007, Red Hat and Exadel, a provider of rich application components, announced a strategic partnership that will add mature, Eclipse-based developer tools for building service-oriented architecture (SOA) and rich, Web 2.0 applications to Red Hat's integrated platform, including Red Hat Enterprise Linux and JBoss Enterprise Middleware. This means that a mature, high-caliber set of Eclipse-based developer tools will be available in open source. It also means that Red Hat is now supporting Java Developers, following Sun's release of Java to open source.
Exadel Studio Pro provides an advanced Web development environment that allows developers to work with multiple frameworks within a single environment. RichFaces and Ajax4jsf offer powerful yet simple models for building rich Internet and Web 2.0 applications, and supports JSF, Struts, Hibernate, Spring, and many other platforms.
By combining Exadel's developer tools with JBoss Enterprise Middleware, Red Hat offers a complete development and deployment platform that enables Java programmers to assemble SOA components and Web 2.0 applications with dramatically less coding, and reducing development and run-time errors.
RichFaces and Ajax4jsf are now available as JBoss RichFaces and JBoss Ajax4jsf, respectively, on JBoss.org under the LGPL license. Red Hat is currently working to open-source Exadel Studio Pro as Red Hat Developer Studio under a GPL-based license. Availability for Red Hat Developer Studio is planned for the first half of this year. For more information on the projects, visit: http://www.jboss.org/ .
Oracle Commits TopLink to JPA Open Source
Also at EclipseCon, Oracle announced that it was contributing its TopLink database connectivity suite for Java to the Eclipse Foundation. Besides the code, Oracle announced the proposal of a new Eclipse project to deliver a comprehensive persistence platform based on the contribution of Oracle TopLink, a component of Oracle Fusion Middleware, source code, and test cases.
Oracle TopLink is an award-winning Java persistence framework offering object-to-relational, object-to-XML, and Enterprise Information System data access through all of the major standards, including the Java Persistence API (JPA), Java API for XML Binding, Service Data Objects, and the Java Connector Architecture. (Whew... that's a lot of standards!) Oracle TopLink works with any database, any application server, any development toolset and process, and any Java application architecture. In addition to its code contribution, Oracle proposed a new Eclipse run-time project to provide a set of persistence services that can be used in Java and OSGi environments. Working closely with the Eclipse Foundation, Eclipse member companies, and other contributors, Oracle will use the existing code base of Oracle TopLink as the starting point for this project. Through its participation in the OSGi Enterprise Expert Group, Oracle will also work with the group members to create a set of blueprints that define how OSGi applications can access standardized persistence technologies.
The Eclipse Persistence Platform project will be available free of charge under the Eclipse Public License. For more information about Oracle's development and contribution of open source solutions, visit: http://otn.oracle.com/tech/eclipse/ .
Ian Murdock Joins Sun
Ian Murdock is leaving the Linux Foundation, and has joined Sun as the new Chief Operating Platforms Officer. While Ian is not giving out too much information yet about what he will be doing, we understand that he will be responsible for building a strategy to evolve both Sun's Solaris and GNU/Linux.
As the founder of Debian, along with the work he has done as the CTO of the Linux Foundation and the head of the Linux Standard Base, he will bring a fresh perspective to Sun's OS strategy. Ian wrote recently in his blog: "The last several years have been hard for Sun, but the corner has been turned. As an outsider, I've watched as Sun has successfully embraced x86, pioneered energy efficiency as an essential computing feature, open-sourced its software portfolio to maximize the network effects, championed transparency in corporate communications, and so many other great things. Now, I'm going to be a part of it."
To find out more, visit the following blogs:
- Ian Murdock: http://ianmurdock.com/2007/03/19/joining-sun
- Simon Phipps: "http://blogs.sun.com/webmink/entry/charting_the_next_25_years
- Tim Bray: http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2007/03/18/Ian-Murdock
- Barton George: http://blogs.sun.com/barton808/
GlassFish V2 Released
In other Sun news, Sun and the GlassFish community announced the beta release of GlassFish V2, the next major version of the open source Java EE 5 application server, and the release of the Sun Web Developer Pack, a toolkit designed for simplifying and enabling advanced rich Internet applications for the Java platform. These releases help enterprises build and deploy SOA and Web 2.0 applications and services, leveraging next-generation Web technologies such as AJAX, scripting, and REST that simplify development and deployment of scalable, interactive applications.
GlassFish V2 Beta adds all the enterprise features from Sun's Java System Application Server Enterprise Edition, such as clustering, administration, Web Services Interoperability Technology (WSIT), and load balancing to support highly scalable, volume enterprise deployments for SOA and Web 2.0 applications. Sun is also announcing creation of a Java Specification Request (JSR) 311 (http://jcp.org/en/jsr/detail?id=311), focused on providing support for RESTful Web Services in the Java Platform, working with other vendors such as BEA, Apache, Google, JBoss, TmaxSoft, and Jerome Louvel (author of the Restlet project). This JSR will help further promote standardization around next-generation Web technologies, and will aim to provide an easy-to-use API for developers for Java EE or Java SE platforms.
Microsoft Offers Source Code Access to FoxPro Extensions
Yes, even Redmond is doing an open source jig, of a sort. The venerable code base for FoxPro has not had a major update in a while, and hasn't been much of a revenue source since... perhaps Windows 95. However, there will be what Microsoft calls "shared source" for the extensions to the FoxPro codebase called the Sedna Project.
There had been an overly optimistic report (Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols's article at http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2105307,00.asp?kc=EWRSS03129TX1K0000616) that all of FoxPro would become open source, but that invoked a strong denial on the Microsoft Developer Network Web site:
"To reiterate, today we are announcing that we are not planning on releasing a VFP [Visual FoxPro] 10, and will be releasing the completed Sedna work on CodePlex at no charge. The components written as part of Sedna will be placed in the community for further enhancement as part of our shared source initiative. You can expect to see the Sedna code on CodePlex, sometime before the end of summer 2007." (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vfoxpro/bb308952.aspx)
Sedna is about .Net and SQL server integration, and also MSbuild integration, but not changes to the DB engine. That code will remain proprietary.
Microsoft hasn't specified which license will be used, but, in practice, the term Microsoft Shared Source Initiative can include a bit of genuine open source, along with some proprietary licences.
Too bad, because turning FoxPro, and xBase DBMSes in general, into an open source project could lead to a renewal of the focused and fast small apps that FoxPro and Clipper were famous for, in the late '80s.
Chip Wars Continue: AMD's Volley
In early December, AMD began showing off its true quad-core "Barcelona" Opteron 8000 chip, which is expected to show a 40-70 performance gain over its current Opteron dual-core performance. The sample chip was shown running in a 4-socket test system at the AMD Industry Analyst Forum, in Berkeley, CA. The test system was upgraded from 2-way chips to 4-way chips in the same sockets (with a BIOS upgrade), as a proof of concept. See the demonstration at http://www.amd.com/quadcoredemo/ .
The "Barcelona" is initially aimed at multithreaded applications like databases or guest operating systems, and will appear in systems supporting up to 4 such chips, for an inexpensive 16-way server. It is also the first 65 nm chip AMD has produced.
Unlike Intel's approach of first releasing a design with 2 dual cores in the same case, the quad-core Opteron has faster internal data paths and more shared cache memory. The future AMD 4-core chips will be called the Opteron 8000 Series. Intel's quad chips include the Core 2 Extreme QX6700 for gamers, and the Xeon 5300 for servers.
AMD and IBM also announced a collaboration at the International Electron Device Meeting last month, to build 45 nm chips by 2008. This development makes use of immersion lithography using a transparent liquid to fill the space between the projection lens and the wafer that contains hundreds of microprocessors. This process provides increased depth of focus, and improved image fidelity that can improve chip-level performance and manufacturing efficiency.
Intel is already experimenting with fabricating 45 nm chips, and has finished designing its first 45 nm chips for release in 2008. Called the 'Penryn' family, these chips will also have 48 new media instructions. Intel may beat AMD to market with the first 45 nm chips, but it is a horse race. AMD has quietly begun selling 2 new 65 nm chips with performance and power consumption specs similar to that of Intel's current high-end Xeon chips. (Engineers at Sun tell LG that the Intel Woodcrest family chips are very good at processing small and medium data sets, while the AMD Opterons excel at moving large data sets through the processors.)
Conferences and Events
Web 2.0 Expo
April 15-18, 2007, San Francisco, CA
AIIM Conference
April 16-19, 2007, Boston, MA
The RoboBusiness Conference
May 15-16, 2007, Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Semantic Technology Conference
May 20-24, 2007, Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, CA
CardTech-SecurTech Conference
May 15-17, 2007, at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA
Open Source Business Conference (OSBC)
May 22-23, 2007, Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA
Gartner IT Security Summit
June 4-6, 2007, Washington, DC
3rd Annual Red Hat Summit
May 9-11, 2007. San Diego, CA
InfoWorld Enterprise Data Protection Forum
June 26, 2007, Le Parker Meridien Hotel, New York, NY
Distro News
RC2 Brings SimplyMEPIS 6.5 Close to Final Release
Development Release: SimplyMEPIS 6.5 RC2 is now available. SimplyMEPIS 6.5 RC2 is available for downloading and testing. This release improves hard disk reformatting and Broadcom wireless support.
Ubuntu 5.10 Reaches End of Life on April 13, 2007
Ubuntu announced the release of 5.10 almost 18 months ago, on October 13th. As with the earlier releases, Ubuntu committed to ongoing security and critical fixes for a period of 18 months. The support period is now nearing its end, and Ubuntu 5.10 will reach end of life, on Friday, April 13, 2007. At that time, Ubuntu Security Notices will no longer include information or updated packages for Ubuntu 5.10. The supported upgrade path from Ubuntu 5.10 is via Ubuntu 6.06 LTS. Instructions and caveats for the upgrade may be found at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DapperUpgrades/ . Note that upgrades to version 6.10 and beyond are supported only in multiple steps, via an upgrade first to 6.06 LTS, then to 6.10. Both Ubuntu 6.06 LTS and Ubuntu 6.10 continue to be actively supported, with security updates and select high-impact bug fixes. All announcements of official security updates for Ubuntu releases are sent to the ubuntu-security-announce mailing list, information about which may be found at https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-security-announce .
Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 Updated
The Debian project announced the fifth update of its stable distribution Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 (codename "sarge"), in late February. This update mainly adds corrections for security problems to the stable release, along with a few adjustments to serious problems. Note that this update does not constitute a new version of Debian GNU/Linux 3.1, but only updates some of the packages included in the stable release. Visit Debian GNU/Linux 3.1 updated for additional information on the update. A comprehensive list of mirrors hosting the update is available at: http://www.debian.org/mirror/list .
Linspire's CNR Technology to Deliver CrossOver Linux 6.0
Linspire (developer of the Linspire commercial and Freespire community desktop Linux operating systems, and CNR - a one-click digital software delivery service for desktop Linux applications, libraries, and packages) and CodeWeavers, the leading Windows-to-Linux software developer, have announced the release of CrossOver Linux 6.0 for CNR. This marks the latest CodeWeavers upgrade for the market-leading product that allows running native Windows applications within a desktop Linux operating system. Incorporating substantially improved support for many popular games, including World of Warcraft, Half-Life 2, and Counterstrike, CrossOver Linux 6.0 now offers CNR users more flexibility than ever to run the Windows applications. CrossOver Linux 6.0 is immediately available via digital download using CNR at http://www.linspire.com/crossover/ . CrossOver Linux is an essential productivity utility for millions of Linux users around the world, supporting the seamless, dependable installation and operation of scores of top-name Windows applications natively within Linux. Microsoft Office, Outlook, Visio, and Internet Explorer, as well as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Dreamweaver, Intuit Quicken and QuickBooks, and Lotus Notes, are just some of the many popular business and productivity applications that can be used on Linux desktops via CrossOver Linux. Now, with 6.0, CodeWeavers intends to bring that same reliability to the gaming market.
France Gives Students the Gift of Open Source
The French National Assembly will open their next session on new Linux computers. These systems will probably be running Ubuntu or France's own Linux distribution, Mandriva. Beyond a switch to new Linux desktops for the French government, other parts of the French government are currently using the Apache Web server and the Mambo content management system. Parisian high school students will also be gifted with free software / open source applications. From a ComputerWorld report:
"French authorities will give out 175,000 USB memory sticks loaded with open-source software to Parisian high school students, at the start of the next school year... The sticks will probably contain the Firefox 2 Web browser, Thunderbird e-mail client, an office productivity suite such as OpenOffice 2, an audio and video player, and software for instant messaging.... "
More on this story here:
- http://software.silicon.com/os/0,39024651,39166298,00.htm
- http://desktoplinux.com/news/NS6755477184.html
- http://www.computerworld.com/action/[...]
South African Government Goes Open Source
The South African national government recently "approved a policy and strategy for the implementation of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in government. All new software developed for or by the Government will be based on open standards and government will itself migrate current software to FOSS." (http://www.info.gov.za/speeches/2007/07022211451001.htm)
Software and Product News
Verio Offers Free Test Drive of Linux Virtual Server
Verio Inc. announced its Verio Linux Test Drive program, for companies and developers interested in hosting services on the popular open source platform. As part of a new promotional campaign that focuses on the benefits of open source and Linux, users can test drive Verio's Linux Virtual Private Server (VPS) service, free of charge. The account preview is for a limited time only, and allows businesses to explore how to leverage Verio's VPS. To sign up for the Linux Test Drive, users should register at http://www.verio.com/linuxlineage/ . Linux VPS gives users access to the vinstall tool and a software library, enabling them to deploy preconfigured applications on their virtual server. Apache 2.2.3 comes installed on Linux VPS for faster performance, and PHP 5.1.5 provides supports popular technologies such as XML, SOAP, and MySQL. Linux VPS solutions are ideal to meet the individual requirements of multiple businesses, by partitioning the resources of a single physical server to perform like a dedicated server. Verio's Linux VPS gives businesses the control they want and need with advanced FairShare technology, better resource management, and reduced cost, and includes live 24/7 technical support with administrator assistance.
Moonwalk Showcases Storage Software for Linux at Novell BrainShare 2007
Moonwalk Inc., an Australian developer of data management and protection software, will be exhibiting its Moonwalk for Linux product at Novell BrainShare 2007 in Salt Lake City, March 18-23.
Moonwalk for Linux automates migration of unstructured data from Linux servers to lower-cost devices, on additional tiers within a storage infrastructure. Linux-captive files can be migrated to other storage devices and other file systems, without any effect on users and applications.
Moonwalk's software is YES Certified, and compatible with a variety of Novell products, including Open Enterprise Server, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, NetWare, Novell Client, and Novell eDirectory.
BrainShare 2007 provides IT experts with the tools and knowledge to help them manage, simplify, secure, and integrate heterogeneous IT environments, at lower cost than expected. More information about BrainShare is available online at http://www.novell.com/brainshare/ .
Moonwalk, founded in 2002, has an all-inclusive data management and protection software that is available for all major operating systems and most storage platforms.
SlickEdit 2007 Introduces New Editing Features for Power Programmers
SlickEdit is a cross-platform, multi-language code editor that gives programmers the ability to code in over 40 languages on 8 platforms, including Windows, Linux, Unix, and Mac OS X. This latest version builds on the company's 19 years of experience in enabling developers and teams to create, build, and debug code faster.
SlickEdit 2007 delivers new features including improved XML/HTML support, a class tool window, Solaris X86 compatibility, and a symbol finder window.
SlickEdit 2007 pricing starts at US $284 for new licenses. Other products available from SlickEdit are the SlickEdit Plug-In for Eclipse and SlickEdit Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005. For more information about SlickEdit and free trial downloads, visit: http://www.slickedit.com/ .
OpenMake Announced the Release of Mojo 7.0 at EclipseCon
Mojo 7.0 is a free, community-oriented solution for automating build-to-release tasks. This build-to-deploy automation solution is complete, regardless of platform or development language environment -- unlike other workflow tools designed to only support single development environments, such as either Java or C. Developers code, maintain, manage, and orchestrate hundreds of make and Ant scripts, to support their build-to-release process. In an effort to bring some order to the chaos, they look to process-automation solutions that can sit on top of these scripts, create a central place to execute the scripts in a precise order, and log results. OpenMake's Mojo solution will provide enterprise-level process automation for managing the execution of ad hoc build, testing, and deployment scripts. OpenMake's solution will interoperate with other application life cycle tools through "Adaptors". The Adaptors provide "out of the box" integration with deployment tools for packaging, testing tools for test script execution and SCM tools for check-in, check-out, labeling, Bill of Material reporting, and Build Difference reporting. Using this OpenMake solution, a complete application lifecycle process can be defined as a workflow and re-executed by any approved user. OpenMake offers script adaptors for integrating with SCM and IDE solutions such as IBM RAD, IBM ClearQuest, IBM ClearCase, Eclipse, Microsoft Visual Studio and .Net, Perforce, MKS Source, AccuRev, CVS, Subversion, Harvest, Dimensions, PVCS, and Visual Source Safe.
Hitachi Unveils One-Terabyte Hard Drive; Scores Popular Mechanics Award
Hitachi announced the Deskstar 7K1000, the world's first terabyte hard disk drive, at CES 2007. Delivering superior performance and reliability, as well as capacity, Hitachi's 1TB hard drive meets the needs of consumers who want to create, share, and store all of their digital information. The Deskstar 7K1000 will begin shipping to retail customers in the first quarter of 2007, at a suggested retail price of US $399.
Popular Mechanics chose the Deskstar 7K1000 1TB hard drive to be among the best new products displayed at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Judged by the magazine's editorial staff and presented on the opening day of the show, the Editor's Choice award recognizes the best of CES in new product design and innovation.
SC Magazine Selects Core Impact Penetration Tester for Its Security Lab
Core Impact, a leading penetration testing product for assessing information security risks, earned a perfect score and received one of the first Lab Approved awards from SC Magazine. In its group test of vulnerability assessment products published in the January 2007 issue, SC Magazine recognized Core Impact for its comprehensive capability in a production environment, performance, and ease of use.
The SC Magazine Lab Approved distinction is awarded to extraordinary products that fit into the SC Lab environment, and which will be used in its test bench for the coming year. Core Impact received a perfect five (out of five) stars across all categories of the evaluation, which included Features, Ease of Use, Performance, Documentation, and Value for Money.
According to the review, penetration tools tend to be designed for very skilled users. They often run from command lines, and run individual exploits only. While this is adequate for a research laboratory, for production testing of large networks, speed, accuracy, and repeatability are critical. This is where Core Impact shines. Core Impact is developed by Core Security Technologies.
This latest industry accolade joins a growing list of honors for Core Impact, including eWeek Excellence Awards for Best Vulnerability Assessment & Remediation Solution, SC Magazine Reader Trust Award for Best Security Audit Product, the Info Security Products Guide Hot Companies 2006 Award, and the company's recognition by leading analyst firm Gartner as a Cool Vendor in Security and Privacy.
For the complete review, visit: http://scmagazine.com/us/grouptest/details/040e98df-db32-0544-e529-4724517bb79f/vulnerability-assessment-2007/ .
Altiris Adds Linux Patch and Virtual Server Management
Altiris announced the addition of new Linux patch and virtual server management capabilities, to help secure and manage heterogeneous server environments. Altiris also announced updates to integrated deployment, patch, and monitoring capabilities for Dell servers.
Altiris provides a suite of server management solutions to help improve system availability and reliability, monitor performance, maintain operations, and remedy security vulnerabilities. New features will include:
- New heterogeneous patch management support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Improved support of VMware virtual server resources now includes expanded deployment, inventory, and software delivery for VMware ESX Server and GSX Server
- New performance and fault monitoring for Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft SQL Server
- Expanded server application inventory includes Microsoft Exchange Server and SQL Server configurations and Windows services (DNS, DHCP, WINS, RRAS)
Dell recently announced a new systems management strategy with Altiris that provides co-developed OpenManage hardware and software management tools, based on the Altiris platform. Customers who also want advanced server management capabilities from the same platform can purchase the Altiris Management Suite for Dell Servers.
Magical Realism
Compact Optical Buffer Tested in Silicon
Let there be light... in the Data Center.
In the premiere January issue of the scientific journal Nature Photonics, an IBM team reports optical buffering of 10 bits of information on a tiny part of a silicon chip. This advance could allow supercomputers to use fast optical interconnects and achieve better performance.
This demonstration is a major milestone in development of all-optical buffers for system interconnects inside systems and between servers. To avoid data congestion in a switching fabric today, multiple electrical-to-optical (EO) and OE conversions are necessary to convert optical signals and store the packets in memory, until the congestion is resolved. Avoiding multiple EO/OE conversion would not only drive the cost/performance down significantly, but also might result in better signal integrity and lower overall power consumption.
One way to delay light is to pass it through optical fibers. However, current "delay line" devices are too big to fit on a microchip. IBM control the light signal by passing it through a new form of silicon-based optical delay line, built of up to 100 cascaded "micro-ring resonators." With the optical waveguide curved to form a ring, it forces light to circle multiple times, delaying its travel. The resonators are built using current silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication tools, and will fit on a microchip.
This device can to store optical information for data streams as fast at 20 Gbps (gigabits per second). The device comprises up to 100 identical micro-ring resonators, all working in tune to produce very large optical delays in excess of 500ps. Results represent at least a factor of 10 improvement with respect to previous efforts. Interestingly, the actual demonstrated buffering capacity of 10 bits on a footprint of 0.03mm2 is only about 10 percent of a floppy disk's surface storage density.
This is also an important technological advancement in the area of nanophotonics. To create the experimental delay lines, significant efforts were applied to design lossless coupling between the resonators, and to control geometric parameters of all resonators to within just a few atomic layers of silicon.
Photo animation and the Nature Photonics paper are available at: http://domino.research.ibm.com/comm/pr.nsf/pages/news.20061222_ringresonator.html .
iRobot Unveils Ready-to-Roll Programmable Robot
iRobot Corp. has released iRobot Create, an affordable, programmable robot
designed for aspiring roboticists. Create comes pre-assembled, so
developers can design new robots without having to build a mobile robot
from scratch. The latest robot is available at
Create is based on the core technology of iRobot Roomba, the vacuuming robot that is cleaning millions of homes worldwide, and is compatible with Roomba's rechargeable batteries, remote control, and other accessories.
With Create, developers can now begin designing new robot applications, out of the box. This new platform provides access to robot sensors and actuators, via an open interface. Create also features standard connections for electronics, and threaded mounting holes that allow users to secure their inventions to the robot, streamlining additions such as sensors, cameras, arms, and wireless connections.
A variety of methods and programming languages can be used to control Create. Beginners can observe the robot's behavior in one of ten demonstration modes, or they can program the robot directly by downloading short scripts with any basic terminal program. More advanced users can write programs for completely autonomous robot behavior in C or C++, using the iRobot Command Module. Developers can also create custom software and interact with Create using a variety of methods, including Microsoft Robotics Studio, a Windows-based development toolkit.
Helen Greiner, co-founder and chairman of iRobot says, "Innovators dream of creating useful robots, but often get bogged down with designing a mobile platform that works... iRobot Create fills a need in the robot industry for a standard, durable hardware platform on which to rapidly develop new, innovative mobile robots."
Talkback: Discuss this article with The Answer Gang
Howard Dyckoff is a long term IT professional with primary experience at
Fortune 100 and 200 firms. Before his IT career, he worked for Aviation
Week and Space Technology magazine and before that used to edit SkyCom, a
newsletter for astronomers and rocketeers. He hails from the Republic of
Brooklyn [and Polytechnic Institute] and now, after several trips to
Himalayan mountain tops, resides in the SF Bay Area with a large book
collection and several pet rocks.


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Tobacco taxes, smoking bans set to save millions of lives: study
Anti-smoking measures including higher taxes on tobacco products, bans on adverts and controls on lighting up in public places could prevent tens of millions of premature deaths across the world, researchers said on Monday. Similar steps taken by Turkey, Romania and 39 other countries between 2007 and 2010 were already saving lives, the independent study published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) said.
"If the progress attained by these countries were extended globally, tens of millions of smoking-related deaths could be averted," Professor David Levy, the study's lead author from Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, said in the WHO's monthly bulletin.
Wider use of the controls could also lead to lower health care costs and higher birth weights for babies, he added. Tobacco-control measures already introduced in the 41 countries, that also included Pakistan, Argentina and Italy, were on track to persuade an estimated 15 million people not to smoke, the study said. That would prevent around 7.4 million smoking-related deaths by 2050, it added. The researchers found the most effective measures were increasing taxes and banning smoking in offices, restaurants and other public places. The first method would prevent 3.5 million smoking-attributable deaths, while the second would prevent 2.5 million, they said.
"If anything it is an under-estimate," Dr Douglas Bettcher, director of WHO's department of non-communicable diseases, told Reuters in an interview in his Geneva office. "It is a win-win situation for health and finance ministries to generate revenues that have a major impact on improving health and productivity," he added.
Turkey's steps led to a sharp drop in smoking rates to 41.5 percent among men in 2012 from 47.9 percent in 2008, he said. Six million people die every year from smoking and the toll is projected to rise to eight million by 2030, according to the WHO, a United Nations agency waging war on "Big Tobacco".
The WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which came into force in 2005, lays down measures to curb smoking and tobacco use. About 175 countries have ratified the pact, shunned by others that are home to large tobacco companies, including the United States, Switzerland and Indonesia.
Measures include raising taxes on tobacco products to 75 percent of the final retail price, smoke-free air policies, warnings on cigarette packages, bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship, and offering treatments to kick the habit. "We know that in many poor countries, the poor spend a lot of money on tobacco. They would be able to use it for nutrition and education which is a huge opportunity cost," said Dr Edouard Tursan d'Espaignet, from WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Christian Recorder, 1896
All excerpts in this post, are from the same issue of the January 2,1896 edition of The Christian Recorder a publication of the AME Church. (I was able to access the old copies of this publication through Accessible Archives). Many former slaves used this publication in search of loved ones who were lost to sales and whims of slave holders many decades earlier. The genealogical value of these letters speak for themselves. The continued pains of slavery are felt in the longing of these former slaves for their parents, husbands, children and siblings. I am sharing a few of them here.
In this first letter, Eliza Holmes of Fayette County Texas is hoping that someone will connect her to her son, but she explains, "I don't know where they carried him to."
Wanted Ad from The Christian Recorder,
January 2, 1896, Volume XLIII p. 7
In the 1890s letters such as these appeared in African American newspapers throughout the country. These letters represent the true horrors of what happened to people, and true heartbreak of separation. Many such letters were written decades after freedom, and yet loved ones were still be sought--so strongly missed, and clearly leaving holes in the hearts of former slaves.
Some were themselves sold away, and circumstance never allowed them to find their way home. Emma Washington of Meridian Mississippi, was still looking for her mother who was enslaved in Warrenton Springs Virginia. The family data is so rich, although with the passing of time, chances of their being reunited were slim.
Wanted Ad from The Christian Recorder,
January 2, 1896, Volume XLIII p. 7
So many of these announcements provide rich genealogical data in addition to reflecting the heartbreak of separation. In Pleasant Beal's letter, one can see how often slaves were exchanged, and moved about so frequently. Mr. Beal knew his parents--the Slaters and after three decades still sought their whereabouts and their fate.
In other situations there were men who left. Some left to fight, others left simply to serve in any way they could. They were often counted simply as contrabands, or refugee slaves, but they were still brave men, whoyseized the chance for freedom, and followed the Union soldiers:
Because these poignant letters were written three decades after the war chance of families being reunited were slim. However, the amazing genealogical data and the illustration of a strong sense of family is immediately noticed by the reader.
As overjoyed as so many were to finally be free---the heartache continued for thousands of former slaves throughout the nation. Time was perhaps the only healing balm that soothed so many of their souls. They deserved so much and got so little. I pray that they will never be forgotten
May all of those who suffered be finally at peace.


text:
I have been the champion of my fantasy football league two of the past four years, and while I've had a rough start to this season, I'm still the defending champion. And while I appreciate the winner's check, having the trophy on my desk for a year is much, much sweeter.
Trophies are important. They provide tangible evidence of accomplishment, when many forms of achievement in life, business and otherwise are inherently intangible and amorphous.
Social media achievement can be intangible and amorphous, too. So much so that there are whole companies and industries that sniff at social media in its entirety because it's "not measurable." But indeed social media IS measurable. I'll reserve all the ways it can be done for another day (meantime, read Olivier Blanchard, Beth Harte, and KD Paine on the subject). To me though, what's more frustrating than a misguided belief that social media isn't measurable is measuring the wrong things entirely. (FYI, interviewing Olivier live on Twitter tomorrow (10/1) at 5pm eastern)
Fuzzy Math of Social Media Measurement
I understand the desire to count your Twitter followers and Facebook fans, I really do. It's an extremely easy graph to build, the numbers almost always climb steadily upward, and it's simple to compare against competitors.
But guess what? You're not in the Facebook fan selling business. Nobody is. At best, number of fans shows some level of directional success, but even then the numbers are often influenced by "social media bribery" (read this great post by Spike Jones)
No Dinner. No Movie.
Examine the level of consumer commitment to your brand that's required to become your "fan" on Facebook (or your follower on Twitter, for that matter). Let's see, it's precisely ONE CLICK. One. Click.
By my count, it takes 3,200% more effort to visit https://www.convinceandconvert.com/ if you don't have it bookmarked (shame), because you have to tap 32 keys to get here. Versus one key to become a Facebook fan. I've had deeper relationships with single swallows of Scotch than what is required to be a fan on Facebook.
If you want to report your Facebook fans and Twitter followers on your social media results dashboard, I won't stop you. But please augment that information with a statistical trophy with more meaning.
What's your single most important social media metric? Care to share? I'll create a follow-up post with the best comments.


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The world will long remember Benazir Bhutto as a modern Muslim woman who served two terms as Pakistan's first woman Prime Minister: bright, attractive, articulate, talented, courageous, charismatic, an astute politician and political leader who called for a secular democratic Pakistan. Benazir was all of these but – like her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and a number of other Pakistani political leaders – she also left a flawed political track record that both reflected and contributed to many of Pakistan's problems.
Benazir Bhutto was an avowed reformer who in two terms as prime minister failed to bring major political or social change; a leader who did little for the overwhelming number of poor Pakistanis who live in a feudal society; a celebrated feminist who despite promises as Prime Minister did little to improve women's status or reverse Zia ul-Haq's so-called Islamization policies; a secular democrat whose leadership of the PPP and governance as Prime Minister reflected Pakistan's feudal politics, with a record of widespread corruption and human rights violations that were severely criticized by international organizations. Like her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, she exerted power through an increasingly tough autocratic style, one-person dominance or rule. She declared herself head of the PPP for life, made no provision for leadership from among her many talented party leaders since the PPP was to remain a family legacy as witnessed by the "selection" of her son and husband (long-discredited by his earned reputation for corruption – reflected in his nickname "Mr. 10%" and his imprisonment in Pakistan for 11 years on charges of corruption – and currently under indictment in Europe).
The recent political responses to Benazir Bhutto's assassination highlight the key problems or fault lines endemic to Pakistani politics today, problems that have been exacerbated exponentially in a post 9/11 world. Both President Bush and President Musharraf were quick to blame al-Qaeda and other Muslim extremists and to simply place the assassination within the context of the war on global terrorism and the forces opposed to democracy. But as dangerous as these forces are, especially with the growth of Pakistani rather than foreign fighters, this single-minded scenario ignores the long-standing conflicting currents in Pakistani politics: a deep seated and unresolved identity problem regarding the relationship of Islam to Pakistani national identity and politics; the role of Islamic parties and movements and their clashes with a westernized elite; and a strong military that has meant more years of military rather than democratic rule, and the role of feudal political leaders.
Although Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founder and first leader, saw Pakistan as a Muslim homeland, his more socio-cultural understanding was not that of many other more "religiously-minded" leaders. Thus, while Pakistan adopted a Western political structure – as Ayub Khan, an early military ruler and modernist, learned when he had to back off his attempt to drop Pakistan's title as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan – many Pakistanis took Pakistan's Islamic identity quite literally and seriously. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a secular socialist, would himself turn to Islam after the Pakistan-Bangladesh civil war, in order to build bridges to Arab countries, counter the Jamaat-i-Islami and other religious parties, and reinforce his popular base. However, the appeal to Islam would prove to be a two-edged sword as the Bhutto appointed head of the Army, General Zia ul-Haq, would use Islam to legitimate his coup, the execution of Bhutto, and the "Islamization" of Pakistan. Ironically, years later, Nawaz Sharif would also play the religion card in his political struggles with Benazir Bhutto and the PPP.
Where do we go from here? The Pakistan-U.S. partnership under Pervez Musharraf and George W. Bush has proven a dysfunctional relationship of failed policies. Their joint war on terrorism and promotion of democracy have in fact resulted in a dangerous increase of the former and a threat to the latter. Religious extremism and terrorism have grown in Pakistan; extremists will only benefit from the current crisis. Islamist parties (mainstream and extremists) have increased their electoral clout both in the 2002 elections and subsequently nationally, including control of both the North West Frontier Province and Baluchistan. Musharraf's promotion of democracy (as that of the U.S. in Pakistan as in Egypt) has at best been a fig leaf, both in terms of the manipulation of electoral politics and the role of the military. Though Musharraf took off his uniform, the generals remain a powerful and influential force capable of intervening at any moment. And regrettably, the tragic death of Benazir Bhutto has resulted in a new stage of Bhutto family feudal leadership of the PPP, only this time absent the charisma, talents and experience of Benazir.
Moving forward will require an enlightened leadership that is not apparent in terms of the chief players. At a time when widespread anti-Americanism (more accurately, opposition to the Bush administration) in Pakistan has become even more entrenched – as it has in many parts of the Muslim and non-Muslim world – one can at least hope for the laying of some groundwork for the emergence of future leaders. Musharraf should begin with the restoration of some semblance of democracy by reconstituting Pakistan's Supreme Court, announce a more specific timetable for national elections, and seek to work more closely with mainstream and political leaders rather than exploit the current fluid situation and thereby contribute to greater instability. The U.S., given its political and military power, retains the ability and leverage to play a more constructive role in Pakistan – but that will require not simply looking for another "American candidate" to install as Pakistan's leader.
Many years ago I was invited to a small dinner party given by General Zia ul-Haq at his residence for members of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Zia began by reassuring us that after a long day of conversations, he would not give a political speech. We were then treated to a long series of "reflections" on how, given the threat of the Soviet Union and China and the situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan was indeed an essential strategic partner for the U.S. After Zia finished, a member of the U.S. delegation caught up in the moment commented to the Foreign Minister, who was sitting at our table, that America valued Zia as it had and did its other great allies: Egypt's Anwar Sadat, the Philippines's Ferdinand Marcos and the Shah of Iran! The Foreign Minister smiled but looked incredulous. Pervez Musharraf can now be added to that list. However, today neither Pakistan nor the U.S. – nor global politics more broadly – can afford another iteration of the same flawed approach.
[Read the edited transcript of an interview with John Esposito that took place at the SSRC offices on May 11, 2007, and was conducted by Pakistani journalist Huma Mustafa Beg.—ed.]


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If the Toronto Raptors hope to lure free agent point guard Steve Nash to his native Canada, they're going to have to use the amnesty clause to jettison Jose Calderon to free up money under the salary cap. If the Lakers hang onto power forward Pau Gasol, they could have an inside track on signing Calderon, his Spanish countryman.
That's a lot of ifs, and there are a few more to consider before you could see Calderon dressed in a purple-and-gold Lakers uniform next season.
ESPN.com was the first to report the possibility of a union of the Spaniards, pointing out the Raptors strong desire to sign Nash to a three-season contract worth $36 million. Toronto would have to dump Calderon and the Lakers would have to wait until all the teams below the salary cap take a pass on him, per the NBA's amnesty rules.
The Lakers would then be free to sign him, although it would be for far less than the $10.6 million he's due to make if the Raptors keep him next season. The Lakers have only the so-called mini-midlevel exception to offer him, at $3 million for 2012-13.
The Raptors and New York Knicks are going after Nash, starting with meetings Sunday. The Raptors reportedly put together a promotional video with hockey great Wayne Gretzky telling Nash that he could do for basketball in Toronto what Gretzky did for hockey in Los Angeles when he was traded to the Kings in 1988.
The Lakers also planned to pursue point guard Ramon Sessions, who opted out of his contract with them next season in order to test free agency. The free-agent negotiating period was set to begin Saturday at 9:01 p.m., Pacific time,


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Marine audio glossary
The terms to know when buying audio gear for your boat
In this article: Marine audio is to car audio what car audio is to home audio. For one thing, marine audio gear needs to be water-resistant. For another thing, there's, well, everything else. This glossary will help familiarize you with some of the key words and phrases you'll need to know before you start planning you boat's awesome new audio system
Click on a letter below to jump to that section of the glossary.
A subwoofer has to have an amp to power it, but regular speakers can run off the built-in amplifier of a head unit. So why would you want an amp for your full-range marine speakers if a receiver will work? Because with an amp you get more power, and with more power, you get more volume and cleaner sound. In the marine environment, getting enough power to drown out the ambient noise is a full-time job, and the amplifier is your best worker.
Amplifiers require some special installation considerations. To install an amplifier, you have to run a thick power wire directly to your boat's battery. You also have to run audio cables to your head unit's preamp outputs (or, in some cases, connect your speaker wires to your amp).
Marine amplifiers are designed to perform in the varying conditions your boat can experience. Some features to look for include conformal coated circuit boards (for improved water and dust resistance), corrosion-resistant power connections, gasket-sealed front covers, and stainless steel mounting hardware that won't rust all over your boat's gel coat or carpeting. Some amps also offer a UV-protected heatsink finish.
Anti-corrosion features enable a marine audio unit to resist rust and the corrosive effects of salt water. Examples of anti-corrosive features include conformal-coated circuit boards, plated connections, and a rust-resistant chassis.
Auxiliary audio input
An AUX input is a jack on the face or rear of the receiver that enables you to connect a plug-and-play satellite radio tuner or portable music player to the receiver. The input jack can be either Mini or RCA.
CEA-2006 compliant
CEA-2006 allows consumers to be able to compare car and boat amplifiers and receivers on an equal basis. Manufacturers who choose to abide by the new standard can stamp their products with the CEA-2006 logo that reads: "Amplifier Power Standard CEA-2006 Compliant."
On May 28, 2003, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) published standard CEA-2006, "Testing & Measurement Methods for Mobile Audio Amplifiers." This "voluntary" standard advocates a uniform method for determining an amplifier's RMS power and signal-to-noise ratio. Using 14.4 volts, RMS watts are measured into a 4-ohm impedance load at 1 percent Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) plus noise, at a frequency range (for general purpose amplifiers) of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. Signal-to-Noise ratio is measured in weighted absolute decibels (dBA) at a reference of 1 watt into 4 ohms. This applies to both external amplifiers and the amplifiers within in-dash receivers.
There are several different ways to connect the cables from your receiver or amplifier to your speakers.
- Spade connectors are compatible with most binding post terminals. A spade fits around the terminal's central threaded post, allowing you to then tighten the collar down on the spade for a snug, secure connection. But keep in mind, some electronics now have terminals that prohibit the use of spade connectors.
- Pin-type connectors will work with both spring clip and binding post terminals. This is probably the best type for connecting a thick, heavy-gauge wire to a small spring clip connector. On a 5-way binding post, this slender pin will also fit the hole that's back near the base of the central post (see binding post illustration, below). You can then tighten the collar down against it.
- Banana plugs will plug straight into the center of 5-way binding posts. They make a quick and convenient connection — nothing to loosen or tighten. Bullet-type and butt connectors also work well.
Detachable face
A detachable face lets you remove the control panel of your receiver easily, and then take it with you when you leave your boat. The stereo is useless to thieves without the faceplate, greatly reducing the temptation to ransack your boat. Most marine receivers sold by Crutchfield come with a detachable face.
You can put several sizes of receiver into your boat. The most common, for both boats and cars, is the "single-DIN" size, which means the receiver has a rectangular chassis that measures about 7" wide by 2" tall (depths vary), and loads into the mounting surface from the front. DIN-size receivers slide into a metal or plastic sleeve that attaches to the front of the mounting location. However, your boat might require a different receiver size, especially if you need to cut a hole in a panel to fit your new receiver. Marine-rated receivers are now availabe in a variety of shapes and sizes, including round designs that can fit into standard gauge openings.
Fold-down face
Despite slot-faced receivers' convenience, their displays are small. A fold-down face, on the other hand, hides the CD slot behind the control panel, and allows the receiver to include a larger display for greater legibility. Hiding the slot also increases the unit's reliability by reducing internal exposure to dust, dirt and, most of all, water.
Frequency response
Frequency response refers to the range of sounds (from bass to treble) a stereo component can reproduce. It's measured in Hertz (Hz), and a wider range is better — the bass will be lower and the treble will be higher. Humans can perceive sounds from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The lowest note on a bass guitar is about 41 Hz. Most male vocalists have a range between 100 and 500 Hz. Cymbals hit at about 15,000 Hz.
Gauge-style receivers
These digital media receivers are designed to fit into a standard gauge opening. They're handy for smaller boats with limited dash space. Gauge-style receivers won't play CD's, of course, but they're terrific for standard AM/FM/Weather radio and playing music from your smartphone.
GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System, is a navigational system designed and operated by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD). Your boat's navigation computer processes coded satellite signals from three or more GPS satellites every second, and then calculates the boat's velocity and geographical location.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters
Simply put, Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters are circuit breakers. When the resistance between ground and the ungrounded conductor drops below a certain level — that is, when you've not-so-wisely diverted the current through yourself — the Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter kicks in, stopping the flow of electricity and preventing your demise. While GFCIs may help in the protection of electrical devices, they work primarily to protect humans against shock.
Grounding and grounding plates
A ground fault is the shorting of an electrical device or circuit to ground at any location other than the structure's common grounding electrode, or plate. This can be caused by damaged or faulty wiring, or by the installation of a second grounding electrode (US and Canadian electrical codes require a common grounding electrode for all wires that enter a structure). Most boats should have one designated grounding plate.
In order for your system (as well as your entire boat) to be protected, if a ground fault exists it is highly recommended that you consult a licensed electrician as soon as possible. Most of the power protection devices Crutchfield carries have ground fault indicators.
Magnetic shielding
You can contain a speaker's magnetic energy inside its enclosure via magnetic shielding. This is usually achieved by placing another speaker magnet back-to-back with the existing one so that the two magnetic fields cancel each other. Shielding may also be achieved by lining the inside of the speaker cabinet with metal.
Magnetic shielding is important for marine applications. If you place an unshielded speaker too close to your compass (within 1-1/2 feet) or any other device dependent on magnetism, the speakers' magnetic energy has the potential to distort or even permanently damage it.
Marine rating
Marine-rated, also marine-grade, products are designed specifically for the marine environment. Many automotive applications just won't work on a boat, because they either lack protection from the environment or the proper power requirements. Always look for marine-rated gear for your boat.
Navigation systems typically use a combination of a GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) location and tracking system, an internal, self-regulating gyroscope, and an electronic connection to your boat's speed sensor. Some models also use WAAS. Not only will a navigation system help you plot your course from port-to-port, but once you get to unfamiliar destinations, it can help you get around accurately and safely.
NMEA 2000 is a "plug and play" communications networking protocol that allows devices as varied as receivers, chartplotters, GPS units, wired remotes, and wind instruments to function as one complete system. Developed and maintained by the National Marine Electronics Association, it's similar in concept to the CAN-Bus systems found in cars and trucks.NMEA 2000 replaced the old NMEA 0183 protocol. To learn more, check out our Nautical Networking with NMEA 2000 article.
A very popular material for car speakers, polypropylene is fairly rigid, with good internal damping, and complete weather-resistance. Many marine speakers are made from this material or something similar, which ensures that the speaker will hold up in all weather conditions.
Power inverter
A power inverter converts low voltage DC (direct current) battery power to 115 volt AC (alternating current) household power. It allows you to use household appliances and electrical equipment on your boat. A power inverter allows you to take a video game console, a TV, or a toaster on vacation with you.
Preamp outputs
These are jacks on the rear of a CD receiver that allow you to use a standard RCA patch cable to add an external amp. Some receivers have two sets, which help if you plan to add a 4-channel amp or a second 2-channel amp. Some receivers have three sets, one of which is usually intended to be used for a subwoofer amp.
Besides playing your musical sources (CD, radio, streaming audio, etc), the receiver has another big job: sending the audio signal to your speakers. Most receivers have built-in amplifiers, and can power speakers directly. Many receivers have pre-amp outputs, too — these send signals to an external amplifier, which boosts the signal before sending it to the speakers.
Marine-rated receivers are designed to withstand the extremes of a marine environment. Most marine receivers feature a conformal coating on the circuit board. This coating adds a level of water and corrosion resistance to the internal electronics, though it doesn't make them waterproof.
If your receiver is going to be exposed to a lot of sun, look for models with UV protection. And if you go boating in salt water, consider receivers that meet the ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) B117 standard for salt spray and fog exposure. On the other hand, many marine receivers are built to work with marine wired remote controls, which allows you to install the receiver below decks and operate it from the cockpit
RMS power
Root Mean Square (RMS) power refers to the amount of continuous power, measured in watts, that an amplifier produces. The higher the RMS figure, the louder and cleaner your music sounds.
Satellite radio
SiriusXM Satellite Radio is a subscription service that offers a wide variety of entertainment, including music, news, sports, talk, entertainment, traffic and weather services, and more. The signal is available coast to coast in the 48 lower United States (including Puerto Rico), and for boaters, the signal reaches up to 200 miles offshore. The signal is digital, so it's always clear and free of static. When you subscribe, you receive an entertainment package of over 130 channels, so you can enjoy music, sports, news, talk, and more when you're out on the water. Check out the SiriusXM channel guide to learn more.
To get satellite radio in your boat, you'll need some special hardware, namely a tuner and an antenna. Some marine receivers come equipped with a built-in SiriusXM tuner.
Signal-to-Noise ratio
A measure of how well a CD player silences background noise. Higher ratings, in decibels (dB), indicate less noise.
Your speakers are probably the most important part of your boat's audio system. They're can be located just about anywhere on your boat. Many speakers can be powered right from your receiver, but some models require more power than an in-dash receiver can provide, and they'll perform their best with a separate marine-rated amplifier.
When it comes to boat speakers, a set of old car speakers just won't cut it .Sun, salt, and spray will destroy car speakers in a season or less, so you need to look for marine-rated speakers designed for life on the water. "Marine-rated" means more than a coat of white paint on a black speaker. Features to look for include sealed motors, rubber surrounds on the woofers, and UV-resistant cones, surrounds, baskets, and grilles.
You'd never want to purposely submerse your electronic gear under water, but it's a good idea to protect it in case of a mishap. Currently, only waterproof products protect against submersion, and the definition of submersion can vary between manufacturers. Limits on time and depth under water will cause these variants. Check with the manufacturer to find out what kind of submersion protection they offer.
A subwoofer, or "sub", is a large (usually 8" or bigger) speaker that's designed to do just one thing: play bass. Most marine-rated subs are designed for free-air use, so you'll get outstanding bass when you mount the sub in a panel or bulkhead on your boat — no box required
When you're shopping for a sub for your boat, look for the same marine-rated features you'd want in a set of speakers. And also make sure you purchase a marine-rated amplifier.
Tinned wire
Tinned wire is any connecting wire (usually copper) between devices that is coated in tin. Tinned wire is very important in marine applications. It significantly increases a wire's resistance to corrosion without impeding its flexibility or resistance. Marine-rated wiring is an essential element of any boat's upgraded stereo system.
Universal cover
Universal covers are available for marine receivers, offering extra protection against water, wind, and sun. Most universal covers have a hinged, see-through plastic cover lined with foam or rubber to keep water from ever reaching the receiver. These covers take up little space and are a great idea for any boater worried about too much moisture reaching his/her audio system.
USB port
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is the "plug and play" interface between your iPod, iPhone, Android smartphone, or other device, and your USB-compatible marine receiver. You can also plug in a thumb drive and play stored music files.
Have you ever noticed that there is no such thing as UV-proof? The sun is so powerful that no matter how much sunscreen you apply before you leave the dock, you're only partially protected from harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays. You have to do the best you can, though,because your health depends on it. The same goes for your electronic gear. UV rays can cause your expensive stereo equipment to bleach out, crack, and overheat. Don't forget your sunscreen, and be sure to invest in UV-resistant marine audio gear.
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is a network of 25 ground reference stations, ranging from the US to Canada to Mexico, that monitor GPS satellite information and create a GPS correction message. This correction message accounts for disturbances in the ionosphere, and for timing and satellite orbit errors. The WAAS-corrected signal can give your GPS unit a position accuracy of less than three meters (as compared to a typical 6-12 meters with the normal GPS signal). WAAS is ideal for open-water or flat terrain navigation, and is currently available in North America only.
Wakeboard tower
The wakeboard tower is the tall crossbar found on many sportboats to which the wakeboard tow line is often attached. You can also mount audio components to this tower, such as marine tower speakers.
Waterproof generally means that the product will work despite any amount of water thrown at it, even temporary submersion. However, different levels of proofing exist, and it's up to the manufacturer to choose a level. Limits on time and depth underwater create these varying levels. Waterproof marine audio components, though rare, are great for boaters who expect to douse them with a lot of water.
By far the most common protection against water damage for marine audio components, water-resistance is essential for any gear on a boat. While not as thorough as waterproofing, water-resistance can protect your electronics from splashing and light rain, as well as from certain levels of internal moisture. Automotive receivers generally aren't protected with coated circuit boards, rubber gasketed faceplates, or covered chassis, as are marine receivers. You won't find paper or metal drivers on marine speakers, either. Check the materials for all the audio components you buy and make sure they are at least water-resistant.


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Mighty Dog Roofing
Mighty Dog Roofing of Smyrna Tennessee are experienced with residential and commercial roofing replacements and repairs. Ask about our siding, gutters, and windows installation. Call us today for more info.
Mighty Dog Roofing specializes on Roofing, Storm Damage Repair and Siding. Locally owned and operated, Mighty Dog Roofing is the best choice for serving the Smyrna region in Tennessee. Mighty Dog Roofing is the most trusted name within the roofing industry. They offer state-of-the art 25 point inspections using Drone Super Scan technology. This technology is paired with superior workmanship and the highest quality products, giving you peace of mind about the most important investment in your life, your home.
Smyrna is a town in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Smyrna's population was 53,070 at the 2020 census. In 2007, U.S. News & World Report listed Smyrna as one of the best places in the United States to retire. Smyrna is part of the Nashville metropolitan statistical area. == History == The town of Smyrna has its European American roots in the early 19th century and began as an agrarian community.
Apache Hills, Autumn Glenn, Autumn Oaks, Bakers Grove, Blakeney - Regent Homes, Bradford Hills, Cambridge Forest, Cedar Hills Subdivision, Celebration Homes - Buckingham, Century Communities - Amberton, Chelsea Village, Clear Creek Subdivision, Crieve Hall, Deerfield, Donelson


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'Boogie Woogie' is back with Rs.10 lakh prize money!!
'Boogie Woogie' is back and this time it gets bigger and glitzier. As many as 16 young dancers will participate and the winner will take home Rs.10 lakh and the 'Boogie Woogie Kids Champion' trophy.
The show, produced by R&N Productions, starts Saturday on Sony Entertainment Television. The trio of Javed Jaffrey, Naved Jaffrey and Ravi Behl are back as judges while Sargun Mehta and 12-year-old actor Rakshit Wahi will host the dance show.
Sneha Rajani, senior executive president and business head, Sony TV, says that this season it will be "wholesome fun and entertainment".
"This season promises to be bigger and better as we present an eclectic mix of 16 electrifying dancers whose sole aim will be entertaining our viewers with their outstanding performances," Rajani said in a statement.
The contestants, aged between 6 and 14, have been selected from all corners of the country. After a nationwide hunt, the top contestants include children from cities such as Ranchi, Delhi, Jamshedpur, Darjeeling, Baroda, Rourkela and Mathura….
Click here to read more


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Edible Arrangements announced three new additions to its e-commerce team to support the company's online and social media expansion efforts.
With rapidly increasing sales, and more than 50 percent of orders placed through the Edible Arrangementswebsite, the company has tripled the size of its e-commerce team since 2010.
In addition, the company has launched an aggressive social media strategy, such as a recent, highly popular Facebook promotion to help launch the new Edible Arrangements Make Today a Little Sweeter collection.
"We're excited to continue growing our e-commerce department, and welcome the leadership and experience that these new employees bring to the team," says Kaitlin Reiss, vice president of e-commerce. "We know our guests are spending more and more time online, and we want to 'WOW' them with the best experience possible."
The new members of the E-commerce team include:
- Wambui Kihanya, senior marketing manager: Kihanya will oversee the company'sdigital experience and monitor engagement across online media channels. Prior to joining Edible Arrangements, Kihanya spent five years with Microsoft, optimizing search, display, and mobile campaigns for premium strategic advertisers.
- Jenn Rohrer, e-commerce analytics director: Rohrer will help improve site traffic and conversion for the company and oversee the e-commerce finance team. She comes to Edible Arrangements with a wealth of experience from various e-marketing and Web analytics roles at The Wisconsin Food and Gift, W.W. Grainger, and Go Daddy. Most recently, she worked for the direct marketing division of Brady Corp. as the senior online acquisition manager.
- Melanie Martinez, social media strategist: Martinez joined the company in 2011 as a project coordinator and was recently promoted to social media strategist. In her new role, she will manage the company's social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram. Prior to joining Edible Arrangements, Martinez worked for the Pert Group, a marketing research firm in Farmington, Connecticut.
"I really love Edible Arrangements," Martinez says. "It's great to work for a company that promotes creativity and offers growth opportunities.
"When you have such a unique product, the opportunities are endless," she adds. "This is especially helpful for social media, where you always have to strive to stand out and do something different and special."
Since January, the company has hired 12 new employees at its corporate headquarters, and is on track to meet its goal of adding 75 new employees this year.
This expansion supports Edible Arrangements' rapidly developing franchise network of more than 1,100 locations worldwide.


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This is the Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Answering Ignorant Questions from Belligerent Know-it-alls, Climate Sector. Can I help you?
Thanks to MT, for an even better way of labeling the on-going Eli used to be able to retire threads. Today we start the EPA blonks Plimer series
A commenter (11454.1) provided quotes from Heaven and Earth (Plimer, 2009) claiming that CO2 was higher in 1942 than today based on the "Pettenkofer" method, and denigrating the use of infrared spectroscopy in modern CO2 analysis due to a lack of validation against the Pettenkofer method. Another quote provided from the same source disparaged the Mauna Loa data because only 18% of the raw data is used in statistical analyses.
Response (2-17):
We have reviewed Plimer's book, and find that it has not been peer-reviewed or undergone any objective and thorough evaluation of its claims. The Pettenkofer method is a chemical method for determining CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. Regardless of its accuracy, if used in inappropriate locations such as in or near towns or other areas that have high local CO2 concentrations, the Pettenkofer method will not result in a measurement of the global background concentrations (in contrast to the current measurement stations such as the Mauna Loa station, which are carefully placed in remote locations). See response 2-4 regarding CO2 concentrations reported by Beck (2007).
We find that the use of infrared spectroscopy for CO2 measurements has been validated extensively. Not only are infrared spectrometers used in scientific laboratories around the world, but the instruments used for measuring global background CO2 concentrations are regularly calibrated against CO2 samples that have been assessed by manometric measurements, involving condensing and separating CO2 and N2O from the remainder of the air and using a gas chromatograph to determine the CO2 to N2O ratio in the liquefied sample. This manometric procedure is estimated to have an accuracy of 0.07 ppm. Therefore, we find no support for the commenter's objections to the use of infrared spectrometers.
With respect to Plimer's claim that the Mauna Loa dataset was selectively edited in order to make an upward-trending CO2 curve, NOAA provides a rigorous description of the process used to measure, calibrate, and report the data from Mauna Loa at http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/about/co2_measurements.html (Tans and Thining, 2008). The data are all archived, including any raw data that are not included in the final reporting. In contrast to Plimer, we find that 52% of the hourly data from 2008 were retained, consistent with the statement from NOAA that there is an average of 13.6 retained hours per day (57%) over the entire record. We also find that, with the exception of the 15% of the data that were recorded as "instrument malfunction," the average of the included data in 2008 was within 0.2 ppm of the excluded data, contrary to the assertion by Plimer that selective editing was used in order to change the trend. These data have been extensively reviewed, published in the peer-reviewed literature, and ultimately also used by the broad climate change assessment community. In addition, the data from Mauna Loa are consistent with data collected at remote sites around the world, as well as with samples collected in air flasks and measured at a central site rather than on location (these flask data are on average within 0.11 ppm of the infrared analyzer data).
The confidence that the modern CO2 record gathered around the world represents accurate measurements of the global background CO2 concentration is therefore extremely high, in contrast to the northern European data collected by the Pettenkofer method in 1942. Therefore, we determined that the assertions of the commenter and the underlying source are not consistent with the current scientific literature.


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Focus Pyramid – Autofocus Lens Calibration Tool
Use promo code: dpc10
Photographer's spend thousands of dollars on a high-quality camera and lens, but often find their images aren't as sharp as expected. The Focus Pyramid unlocks the cameras true potential, maximizing performance by fine tuning the autofocusing system to create sharper photographs.
For years photographers have wasted time and money sending their camera body and lens for calibration only to find that as soon as they switch lenses autofocus was off once again.
From manufacture to manufacture and even lens copy to lens copy there are slight variances as to the exact point where light is focused onto the sensor. The Focus Pyramid is a true form meets function undertaking designed to help identify these variances allowing you to fine tune your autofocusing system.
With the ultra high resolution that today's cameras can capture, manufactures have recognized the need for such calibration. Many manufactures have equipped their DSLR's with the ability to save custom autofocus settings right into the camera body.
This custom adjustment gives us the ability to calibrate each lens to the camera body and save those settings in memory. Once the initial calibration is complete each time you switch lenses your camera will automatically make the necessary adjustments to your autofocusing system providing you with the sharpest images possible!
Unlike the Focus Pyramid, other autofocus lens calibration tools remain on the shelf after purchase due to being difficult and time consuming to setup and use.
Focus Pyramid's direct targeting system and ease of use produces stellar results at a fraction of the time and cost. When a photographer requires tack sharp images and time is of the essence the Focus Pyramid is there.
• Easy to read targeting system
• Simple to setup and use
• Calibrate all your lenses in minutes
• Precision die-cut for quick assembly
• Online setup and usage instructions
• Quick, Easy and Affordable
• Made in the U.S.A. * Patent Pending
Give your lenses a new lease on life! Focus Pyramid autofocus lens calibration tool makes it easy and affordable at half the size and cost of similar products!
The list below continues to grow month by month as all major camera manufactures understand the importance of lens calibration and have noticed savvy camera buyers trending toward camera body which provide custom autofocus calibration settings.
Canon ( 50D, 70D, 7D, 6D, 5DMkII, 5DMkIII, 1DMkIII, 1DMkIV, 1DsMkIII, 1DIV, 1Dx, 1Dc )
Nikon ( D7000, D7100, D300, D300s, D600, D610, D700, D800, D800E, D3, D3s, D3x, D4, D4s )
Sony ( A850, A900, SLT-A77, A99, NEX-x with LA-EA2 )
Olympus ( E-30, E-620, E-5, [E-M1 only with micro 4/3 lens adapter] )
Pentax ( K20D, K2000, K200D, K-5, K-5 II, K-5 II2, K7D, 645D )
Hasselblad ( H4D, H5D )
Sigma USB Dock (any camera body)
Some lenses ( i.e. Sigma 35mm f1.4 DG with USB dock) now allow for focus adjustments within the lens which provide fine-tuning with any cameras!
* Most modern DSLR camera bodies allow for AF Fine Tuning / AF Adjustment. Contact your camera manufacture if you're uncertain your camera will allow for autofocus calibration and micro adjustment.
If your camera does not allow for Fine Tuning of its Autofocus System, don't worry! By using this product you will immediately know which of your lens front focus or back focus and most importantly by how much. This provides you the information needed to make sharper photographs at the time of capture.
In the convenience of your home or studio the Focus Pyramid will help you achieve the sharpest photographs possible.
• Have you ever taken what you thought to be an amazing portrait only to find the models eyes are out of focus but the tip of their nose is perfectly clear?
• Does your compact point and shoot camera take sharper images than your $2000+ DSLR Kit at times?
For these and countless other reasons we developed the Focus Pyramid; a compact, low cost and easy-to-use autofocus lens calibrator. Using the Focus Pyramid in conjunction with one of the many modern cameras, you'll have the option of making a global adjustment or lens specific micro focus adjustments. Remember, with the latter, each and every time you snap on a new lens your camera body will automatically dial in the correction required to assure precise auto-focus every time!
Take complete control over your DSLR's focusing system today!
Past client thoughts about the Focus Pyramid?
I finally had a chance to calibrate. My 40mm pancake and 85 f/1.8 were fine, but my 50mm f/1.4 needed help! The pyramid is a great tool and helped me to finally nail the focus on my lenses. Thanks for a wonderful product..
David D.
Received Focus Tool and used it to match my new Nikon D800 with a 50mm F1.4g lens. High quality print and pyramid angle helped identify focus shift between f1.4 and f2.8 thus able to tune lens to a sweet spot for the main aperture i use.Many thanks, Worth every penny.
Alan R.
I like the Focus Pyramid a lot – its quick, easy and helpful. I just bought a used Nikon D3 and spend just a few minutes running through my four lenses to make the micro-adjustments for that body. The Focus Pyramid takes just a few minutes to set up and there are no complicated aiming and sighting requirements.
Robert R.
I have used the Focus Pyramid once so far, to calibrate my Sony 70-400 lens with the Sony A77 at the maximum zoom distance. It certainly was a lot quicker and easier than previous attempts at focus adjustments, I am really happy with the product.
Peter D.
I re-calibrated all my lenses last night only to find that 1 was ok, all the others needed some adjustment. I'm glad that your product helped me in achieving this goal.
Roger H.
The focus pyramid has become an essential part of my photography toolkit. It is fast, accurate and critical to getting tack sharp pictures. I was able to micro-adjust 6 lenses over lunch with this wonderful tool. Being portable, I'll be taking the focus pyramid with me to make sure that my lenses are correctly adjusted no matter where I shoot. The focus pyramid is easy to setup, the online instructions are clear, simple to understand and a great way to get the most out of your camera and lenses. It's a bargain at twice the price.
I set up the pyramid in my living room, connected my camera to my laptop and used tethered shooting in Lightroom. Zooming in to 3x I was able to easily see where my lenses were auto focusing. Setting the micro-adjustment level on my Canon 5DII, I was able to quickly dial in the right focus point. Make sure you have plenty of light on the pyramid and, as the online video shows, position your camera level and at the right distance and start shooting. You will easily see where your particular camera and lens pair are auto focusing. My pictures are noticeably sharper after just a couple of minutes. Compared to some of the competing products, the focus pyramid is much easier to set up, use and still have the level of accuracy we all desire. Thanks!
Eric L.
The focus pyramid arrived today, and after a long editing session, I put my cameras and lenses on the tripod, and shot away. AF Fine tuning the D700 was easy in Lightroom 4, but it does not yet support tethered capture for my new D800, so I did the fine tuning the long way instead. The results made interesting reading. I have 4 lenses: the 50 F1.4G, 24-70 F2.8, 105 F2.8VR and 70-200 F2.8 VR II.The 24-70 has just recently returned from Nikon after a service, and it turned in the best performance on both cameras – No adjustment needed on the D700, and -3 on the D800. The 105 F2.8 VR: Not bad.. -2 on the D700, but -14 on the D800. 70-200 F2.8 VR II: +4 on the D700, -12 on my D800. The 50 F1.4G: -8 on the D700, and I went to -20 on the D800.I am looking forward to better performance from my D800 in future, especially with all those megapixels. I never dreamt in my wildest dreams that my lenses/ cameras were anything other than perfect- I always put down out of focus images to my own poor technique.
Buying the focus pyramid has proved a revelation. Thanks a million- I'll pass on the good news!


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Sudan's relations with newly independent South Sudan deteriorated in early 2012, leading to clashes along the shared border in April. Although the two governments signed an agreement in September, paving the way for resumption of oil production, fighting between Sudanese government forces andrebel movements continues in Darfur, as well as in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states where Sudan's indiscriminate bombardment and obstruction of humanitarian assistance forced more than 170,000 to flee to refugee camps in South Sudan.
Student-led protests in Sudan's university towns intensified in response to wide-ranging austerity measures and political grievances. From June through August, riot police and national security officials violently dispersed a wave of protests, with hundreds arrested, at least 12 protesters shot dead, and scores of others detained and subjected to harsh interrogations, ill-treatment, and torture.
Sudanese authorities also harassed, and arbitrarily arrested and detained other perceived opponents of the government, including suspected members of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/North—which was banned in September 2011—members of other opposition parties, civil society leaders, and journalists. They also censored the press.
Protection Concerns on Border with South Sudan
Following South Sudan's independence in July 2011, Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) and the South's ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) were deadlocked on a range of issues including oil production, debt, the status of the nationals of one country in the other, border security, resolution of border disputes, and the status of Abyei. Amid rising tensions, both countries accused the other of supporting or harboring rebel groups. South Sudan shut down oil production in February, seriously affecting the economies of both countries.
In early 2012, cross-border attacks, including aerial bombardments by Sudan into South Sudan, increased culminating in 10 days of armed conflict between the two nations in April at Heglig, an oil-producing area along the border. The armed clashes and bombing in and around Bentiu, Unity state, resulted in civilian casualties and displacement.
South Sudan withdrew under international pressure and both the African Union and the United Nations endorsed a roadmap for resumption of negotiations over post-secession issues. In the following months, though political tensions eased, sporadic clashes and bombing continued and caused injuries, and displaced civilians in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, South Sudan.
In September, the two governments signed agreements on oil, borders, and citizenship among other issues, but did not agree on the status of Abyei or address the ongoing conflict in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, which has forced more than 200,000 people into refugee camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Humanitarian Law Violations in the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile Conflict
Fighting continued in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states between Sudan government forces and the armed opposition group, Sudan People's Liberation Army-North (SPLA-North), which grew out of the southern rebel SPLA's wartime presence in Sudan. In Southern Kordofan, ground clashes and government bombing forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Many fled to caves and mountains where they lacked food, shelter, and hygiene. By November, more than 65,000 had fled to a refugee camp in South Sudan.
The conflict spread to Blue Nile state in September 2011, with ground fighting and government bombing forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. As of November, more than 145,000, many of them travelling on foot for weeks or months, had fled to refugee camps in South Sudan and Ethiopia. The Sudanese government has refused to allow aid groups to access needy populations living in rebel-controlled areas in both states, effectively depriving civilians of essential food, medicine, and other basic services.
Conflict in Darfur
The Doha Document for Peace in Darfur, signed in July 2011 by Sudan and a Darfur rebel group, Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), has had little impact in improving security or human rights in Darfur. The parties set up the Darfur Regional Authority, a body to implement the agreement, and appointed some LJM members to government positions. Donors, particularly Qatar, promise to fund early recovery and development activities.
Non-signatory rebel groups including Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) have joined with SPLA-North in a national coalition, known as the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF). Clashes between rebels and government forces, and government bombing of rebel-held areas, continued particularly in North Darfur and East Jebel Mara areas. In September, fighting between government-aligned militia groups and rebels near Hashaba, North Darfur led to the death of dozens of civilians. On November 2, government forces attacked Sigili village in North Darfur, killing 13 civilians.
The Sudanese government continued to deny peacekeepers from the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) access to much of Darfur. Despite such restrictions, UNAMID reported on the government's arbitrary arrests and detentions of real and perceived opponents, and on patterns of sexual violence. A state of emergency, empowering governors to detain people indefinitely without judicial review, remains in place throughout Darfur.
Lawlessness and insecurity hampered the work of the peacekeepers and aid groups. Armed gunmen attacked and killed peacekeepers, including four Nigerians in October, abducted UNAMID and humanitarian staff and carjacked dozens of vehicles. The vast majority of Darfur's displaced population, estimated around 2.5 million people, remain in camps in Darfur and Chad.
Justice and Accountability
Seven years after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants or summons to appear against six individuals, Sudan continued to refuse to cooperate with the ICC or to meaningfully prosecute the crimes in its own courts. The UN Security Council had in 2005 referred the situation in Darfur to the ICC, which issued the warrants or summons to appear against President Omar al-Bashir and five others, on charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, although the charges were not confirmed against one of the suspects, Bahar Idriss Abu Garda.
Despite the appointment of a fifth special prosecutor for Darfur in June, Sudan has done little to promote accountability. It has made none of the justice reforms recommended in the 2009 report from the AU's High-level Panel on Darfur, headed by former South African President Thabo Mbeki.
Crackdown on Protests
In late 2011 and early 2012, security forces violently dispersed peaceful protests across the country, often at universities. Students protested against price increases student elections, and in solidarity with the Manaseer community's demands for compensation for their forced displacement from land in Red Sea state by the construction of the Merowe Dam in 2008.
In June and July, as the economic consequences of the oil-shut down surfaced, student and youth-led protests increased in number and size. The protests were larger than the Arab Spring-inspired protests in early 2011, despite the lack of official backing from major opposition parties. Starting June 16 at Khartoum University, protests were staged on a near daily basis in dozens of towns against the government's austerity measures and other policies.
Riot police and national security forces used batons, sticks, rubber bullets and in some cases live ammunition to disperse the gatherings. Many protesters were wounded and required medical care. In South Darfur, on July 31, the security forces killed 12 protesters including several children under 18 years old. National security forces, often in pick-up trucks, arrested hundreds of protesters and people who did not participate directly in the protests, such as suspected organizers, political activists and prominent members of the opposition.
While many were released within days, a large number remained in National Security Service (NSS) custody for several weeks or months. Members of the activist group Girifna (We are fed up) were particularly targeted for arrest and detention. One Darfuri member, Rudwan Daoud, was charged with espionage and crimes against the state, punishable by death. Following international pressure, charges were dropped and he was released. Most of the student protesters were released in mid-August before the end of Ramadan.
Dozens of released detainees reported being subjected by national security officers to severe beatings, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture during interrogations. Many were forced to provide their Facebook and email addresses passwords, and to reveal the names and whereabouts of political activists. Upon their release, detainees were made to renounce their political activism, promise not to engage in political activity, or agree to work as informants for NSS.
Political Repression and Media Restrictions
In addition to protest-related harassment, the NSS targeted opposition party members, particularly SPLM-North, which was banned in September 2011. Security officials also targeted human rights workers, civil society members, and perceived opponents for harassment, arrest and detention, particularly during the period that protests were being held. For example, in July, a group of more than 13 women activists were held for more than a month in Omdurman women's prison, in poor conditions.
Many people were detained because of their real or perceived links to the SPLM-North, which was banned in September 2011 when war broke out in Blue Nile state, or as a result of their human rights activism. Abdelmonim Rahama, a poet and former adviser to the Blue Nile state government, spent 11 months in detention in Sennar state. Nuba human rights activist, Bushra Gammar, was released after more than one year in detention without charge, while Jalila Khamees, a Nuba schoolteacher and human rights defender, was arrested from her home in Khartoum in March 2012 by national security officials, and in July was charged with crimes against the state that could carry the death sentence.
In the wake of fighting with South Sudan's army at Heglig in April, Sudanese authorities stepped up hostile rhetoric and political repression. NSS summoned prominent Sudanese journalist and human rights defender, Faisal Mohamed Salih, for several hours of questioning and ordered him to report back daily for nearly two weeks in connection with his comments critical of the government on Al Jazeera Arabic television.
Authorities censored articles, confiscated newspaper editions, and blacklisted more than 15 journalists for reporting on sensitive topics, including a church-burning incident in April prompted by a radical imam's hostile rhetoric. National security officials also routinely instructed editors to refrain from publishing criticisms of the president or the armed forces, the economic impact of the oil shut-down, or the conflicts in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.
In May, the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) suspended or expelled seven humanitarian organizations from working in Eastern Sudan. In September, HAC began summoning local organizations that receive foreign funding, in an apparent effort to cut off foreign funding of civil society groups.
Key International Actors
Following the armed hostilities at Heglig in April, the AU and UN, through Security Council Resolution 2046, endorsed a roadmap for cessation of hostilities and resumption of negotiations on post-secession issues. The AU's High-Level Implementation Panel continued to facilitate the negotiations. Ethiopia remains an important actor in these negotiations despite the death of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in August.
In September, Sudan and South Sudan reached a deal on oil production arrangements, border management and citizenship, but remained deadlocked on the status of Abyei. Sudan and SPLM-North did not enter into direct negotiations. While the parties did accept the tri-partite proposal submitted by the AU, UN, and League of Arab States to permit humanitarian access to the affected populations in the two states, Sudan has refused to implement it.
The UN extended the mandate of UNAMID for a fifth year, while adopting plans to downsize its military and police components. Its Joint Special Representative, Ibrahim Gambari, finished his term July 31 and has yet to be replaced. In the contested territory of Abyei, the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) continued to deploy and prepare for its role in wider border management, pursuant to 2011 agreements.
Sudan did not grant the UN's Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in the Sudan access to Darfur and he was therefore only allowed to hold meetings in Khartoum. In September, the UN Human Rights Council strengthened the mandate and called on Sudan to allow the expert to access to the entire country including conflict zones in Darfur, Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile.
While al-Bashir was welcomed in Egypt and Libya this year, ICC member Malawi indicated it would arrest al-Bashir if he entered that country to attend the AU summit scheduled to take place there in June 2012. As a result, the summit was moved to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.